MADRID – In the coming days, Spain will experience another abnormal heat peak with temperatures of up to 30 degrees in the north of the country. On Wednesday, temperatures in about twenty cities in the country will reach 33ºC.
And that while Spain is just recovering from the previous heat peak at the end of April in which no fewer than 100 temperature records were broken.
This time, however, it is not too bad in the region that usually has to deal with the highest temperatures. The State Meteorological Agency Aemet expects temperatures in Andalucia to even drop slightly until the weekend. Clouds will also increase here and there with is a chance of light rain showers. The maximum temperatures drop from Wednesday to Saturday to around 30 degrees, then rise to about 35 degrees on Sunday. Minimum temperatures remain around 15-17 degrees Celsius, which is above the usual values for this time of year.
“Extreme” risk of fires
The high temperatures also carry a risk of wildfires in more than half of the country, according to Aemet. The fire risk map colours a large part of the Iberian Peninsula red. Only the centre and northwest of the country and the Balearic Islands remain safe from this risk. It concerns Galicia, the Community of Madrid, the Balearic Islands and isolated areas of Catalonia, Extremadura and both Castillas.
The meteorological agency determines forest fire risk levels based on meteorological data and numerical weather forecasting models. Based on this are five levels (low, moderate, high, very high and extreme). See the image on this page for the map corresponding to Wednesday, May 3.
The level of fire danger is closely linked to the forecast of a progressive and marked rise in temperature this Wednesday, with maxima between 30 and 33 degrees in 19 provincial capitals:
- Badajoz
- Bilbao
- Burgos
- Cáceres
- Ciudad Real
- Córdoba
- Granada
- Huesca
- Jaén
- Logroño
- Madrid
- Palencia
- Pamplona,
- Santander
- Seville
- Toledo
- Valladolid
- Vitoria
- Zaragoza
Little rain
For this Wednesday, Aemet only predicts some rain in Galicia, Asturias and León but with rising temperatures during the day. In short, little rain and very high temperatures, except in the south. In fact, the thermometers will rise during the day in the centre and north of the country. This increase is particularly strong in eastern Cantabria and northern Navarra.
It will be more than 30 degrees in low-lying places in the interior of Spain, such as the river basins of the Tagus, Guadiana, Guadalquivir and Ebro. Only in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands will the minimum temperatures rise.
What to do in case of fire?
Since the fire risk is maximum, Civil Protection and Emergencies emphasise that anyone who sees a fire must immediately alert 112. If you are in the area of the fire, look for a place with good visibility and as much as possible free of combustible material. Furthermore, always follow the instructions of the competent authorities. Keep an eye on the rules of your autonomous community and municipality regarding the burning of garden waste, never throw cigarette butts or glass waste in nature. According to Aemet, the chance of wildfires will decrease again for a few days from next Thursday.
